His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who is in Jordan as a part of a regional tour, and emphasised the need for supporting all international and regional efforts to sustain the ceasefire reached between Hamas and Israel.

King Abdullah reiterated the importance of intensifying international efforts to renew peace negotiations in the area according to the two-state solution, which the King said is the only path towards security and stability in the Middle East.

His Majesty stressed that all parties should be helping the Palestinians overcome the hard living conditions in Gaza, which the Israeli aggression exacerbated.

The UN secretary general praised the King’s efforts in regards to regional and international attempts to maintain the truce agreement reached on Wednesday evening.

Ban referred to the vital role Jordan played to end successive crises in the area, and the Kingdom’s efforts to achieve regional peace and security.

The discussions came as part of intensified Jordanian endeavours to end the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza.

His Majesty and the UN chief also reviewed developments in Syria, stressing the need to halt all forms of violence and bloodshed against the Syrian people. They called on the international community to work harder to end the Syrian crisis.

The King voiced appreciation for the efforts led by Ban to find a way out of the crisis, urging the international organisation and affiliated agencies to draft a plan to address the situation in case the humanitarian emergency further deteriorates.

His Majesty reviewed Jordan’s efforts to offer relief services to Syrian refugees, whose number has reached 240,000. In this context, he urged the UN, regional countries and the rest of the world to support Jordan as it hosts such a high number of displaced persons.